The Unofficial Fire Ron Wilson/Ron Wilson is the Greatest Thread

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I'm pretty sure that if Wilson gets fired, Carlyle would be the new guy.

 

[Bates]

Just to clarify you guys think it's more important for Eakins to stay in AHL to develop team which has maybe 3 or 4 players who will ever be NHL players than it would be to use his ability to continue development of 23 Leafs players who are now NHL players???

 

[The Red Polar Bear]

That's not exactly my point, Bates. My point is that a full length AHL playoff run may be better for the franchise than a slightly improved NHL 20 regular season games with no playoffs. If Burke assesses the NHL team and doesn't think they'll make it, I can see why he'd hold off on making the change until after the AHL playoffs are done.

 

[maplesyrup]

Just to clarify you guys think it's more important for Eakins to stay in AHL to develop team which has maybe 3 or 4 players who will ever be NHL players than it would be to use his ability to continue development of 23 Leafs players who are now NHL players???

Yes. Absolutely. 15 of those 23 might night even be Leafs 2 years from now and personally, I'm not sure the big club should be "developing" players. I'd much rather see the Leafs roster composed of (mostly) developed players.

 

[Bates]

No offence Sarge but if 5 of the present day Marlies make the NHL in any meaningful way it would be a shock to most.

 

[Kin]

I've got a hard time drawing any kind of line between deep AHL playoff runs and player development. Easily the most successful AHL of late has been Washington's affiliate and it's not like their rosters were full of guys who went on to tear up the NHL.

 

[maplesyrup]

No offence Sarge but if 5 of the present day Marlies make the NHL in any meaningful way it would be a shock to most.

Not to me... I think there are several current Marlies with a very strong chance of contributing at the NHL level.

 

[Erndog]

2 years ago we were 2nd last.

Last year we were 9th last.

This year we are currently 10th last and with a very real possibility of being somewhere in the 4-6 last range.


So 2 of the last 3 years we are/could be a bottom 5 team?  And what do we have to show for it? 

We have little cap space, ZERO impact prospects on the horizon, the same holes we always had (#1 center, power forward winger, shut down dman, #1 goalie, team toughness, etc).

Things are in real bad shape.

 

[Kin]

Yes. Absolutely. 15 of those 23 might night even be Leafs 2 years from now and personally, I'm not sure the big club should be "developing" players. I'd much rather see the Leafs roster composed of (mostly) developed players.

Well that's just silly. They shouldn't be trying to develop guys like Gardiner? Or you think Gardiner should be in the minors?

 

[lc9]

Because whatever brand of vodka he's selling down there seems to be working. The longer the kids play under him the better, and the deeper Eakins can take them in the playoffs, all the better they'll be for it.

I certainly understand this logic, but I guess I don't agree.  I feel whatever happens with the Marlies through the end of the season is negligible.  If they win, lose or Eakins gets promoted, the only effect I see is a positive one for the Leafs.  Most of those Marlies players won't be NHLers and they can still have an AHL playoff run with a different coach.

But like I said, I don't see it happening.  Burke is going to keep Wilson through the end of the year.

 

[Bates]

Well there you go.  I said 5 would be a shock and you said several have a chance.  I guess we kinda agree then.

 

[maplesyrup]

Yes. Absolutely. 15 of those 23 might night even be Leafs 2 years from now and personally, I'm not sure the big club should be "developing" players. I'd much rather see the Leafs roster composed of (mostly) developed players.

Well that's just silly. They shouldn't be trying to develop guys like Gardiner? Or you think Gardiner should be in the minors?

I don't think it's silly at all. Sure, there might be the odd exception like Gardiner who could probably "develop" as much in the NHL as they could in the "AHL" but how many guys like that do we really have?

 

[Kin]

I don't think it's silly at all. Sure, there might be the odd exception like Gardiner who could probably "develop" as much in the NHL as they could in the "AHL" but how many guys like that do we really have?

There are lots of guys on the team who have proven all they need to in the AHL but still need to season themselves in the NHL. Kessel over the last few years is an excellent example of someone who developed their game in the NHL. Grabo and Gunnar too.

The AHL is a stage in development, so is the NHL. A team that ignored developing players on their NHL roster is a team that would be making a beeline to the bottom of the standings.

 

[cw]

I don't see Burke going from "I haven't even considered firing Wilson" just prior to the deadline (and in the wake of giving him an extension as a Christmas present) to firing him after one more game.

I think Ron is going down with the ship and will get shown the door in the spring.

This is shaping up to be one of the more spectacular crash and burns in Leafs history.

Carlyle is probably at the top of Burke's list for replacements. As Eakins recently said, it doesn't matter what the media has to say about coaches - it matters what the people who make hiring decisions for coaches think.

 

[proteus2000]

Just to clarify you guys think it's more important for Eakins to stay in AHL to develop team which has maybe 3 or 4 players who will ever be NHL players than it would be to use his ability to continue development of 23 Leafs players who are now NHL players???

Eakins could gain experience in tactical play and matchups in the playoffs. He has obviously developed a solid system with the Marlies, helping them sit comfortably in the division lead with the #2 best GA and #1 PK. I don't think he has time to change the Leafs' mistakes against all these squads that have been working on their systems since September. He shouldn't be thrown up into this mess, give him a fresh slate and training camp.

 

[maplesyrup]

I don't think it's silly at all. Sure, there might be the odd exception like Gardiner who could probably "develop" as much in the NHL as they could in the "AHL" but how many guys like that do we really have?

There are lots of guys on the team who have proven all they need to in the AHL but still need to season themselves in the NHL. Kessel over the last few years is an excellent example of someone who developed their game in the NHL. Grabo and Gunnar too.

The AHL is a stage in development, so is the NHL. A team that ignored developing players on their NHL roster is a team that would be making a beeline to the bottom of the standings.

To be honest Nik, what I think is "silly" is thinking that ANY coach is going to do much for the NHL players over the next 18 games. In my mind, Eakins with the Marlies over ~ twice as many games with the little club is going to do much more for the overall development of the organization than Eakins with the big club for ~ half the time. 

 

[Bates]

What can change do for NHL team??  See St.Louis, Anahiem, Carolina, and some days Washington(jk).  It may not change anything but it sure would at least be an effort to change what is now happening.

 

[bustaheims]

Just to clarify you guys think it's more important for Eakins to stay in AHL to develop team which has maybe 3 or 4 players who will ever be NHL players than it would be to use his ability to continue development of 23 Leafs players who are now NHL players???

I don't Eakins is going to be able to accomplish much of anything in a month or so with the big club, especially if a good chunk of the roster is jettisoned over the summer, so, why mess with the one thing in the organization that is really working? Let the kids have the best possible chance to receive as much positive success as possible. Let Eakins or whoever the new coach may be start clean at camp.

 

[maplesyrup]

What can change do for NHL team??  See St.Louis, Anahiem, Carolina, and some days Washington(jk).  It may not change anything but it sure would at least be an effort to change what is now happening.

The galaxy-sized difference there is those teams that it worked for did it before it was too late.

 

[maplesyrup]

Just to clarify you guys think it's more important for Eakins to stay in AHL to develop team which has maybe 3 or 4 players who will ever be NHL players than it would be to use his ability to continue development of 23 Leafs players who are now NHL players???

I don't Eakins is going to be able to accomplish much of anything in a month or so with the big club, especially if a good chunk of the roster is jettisoned over the summer, so, why mess with the one thing in the organization that is really working? Let the kids have the best possible chance to receive as much positive success as possible. Let Eakins or whoever the new coach may be start clean at camp.

Bingo!